Polls open in Columbia as voters decide on everything from candidates to bond issues
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Election day is on Tuesday for residents who plan to participate in choosing their upcoming community leaders. Polls are open until 7 p.m.
Columbia Mayoral Candidates
A total of four people are running for the spot of Columbia's next mayor. In September, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece announced he would not be running for re-election due to upcoming professional responsibilities.
"I am proud to leave behind a legacy of growth, and opportunity, and equality for everyone in Columbia," Treece said. "But that pace is just not sustainable for new professional responsibilities and opportunities that I look forward to next year."
Barbara Buffaloe
Barbara Buffaloe is the former sustainability manager for the City of Columbia. She left her position in May after 11 years of working for the city, saying she needed to make more time for her family.
David Seamon
David Seamon is a current member of the Columbia Board of Education. He announced his run for mayor of Columbia last October. Seamon was elected to the CPS Board of Education in June 2020.
According to his press release, Seamon is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and would be Columbia's first black mayor if he's elected.
Tanya Heath
According to a press release from her campaign, Heath is a Hickman High School and University of Missouri alumna.
Heath said she is running on the campaign of "common sense and collaborative solutions" to make the community stronger and improve the community's physical, mental and emotional health.
Heath is the Director of Advertising for Mizzou Magazine, a wellness practitioner, and a professor for strategic communication at the MU School of Journalism.
Randy Minchew
Randy Minchew is a former candidate for Columbia's sixth ward seat and has been a business owner in Columbia for 25 years. He also ran for the city council in 2021 and 2015 but dropped out of the race.
He says wants to fix the city's trash issues, create better training for police, and bring in more officers to the department. He also wants to add more fire stations to Columbia.
Former fifth candidate Maria Oropollo dropped out of the race last month citing a lack of campaign funding.
Columbia City Council Candidates
Ward 3
Current City Councilor Karl Skala is trying to defend his third-ward seat. Local business owner, Roy Lovelady, is challenging him in Tuesday's race.
Ward 4
Nick Foster and Erica Pefferman are facing off for the fourth-ward seat on Columbia's City Council.
Pefferman is the owner of Como Magazine and the Columbia Marketing Group. She said her campaign is run on her "Columbia aspirations," which is why she chose to run for a local position compared to a statewide position.
Foster previously was the executive director for the Voluntary Action Center. Foster said he wants to make Columbia a "vibrant, diverse, welcoming city" that "embraces the future and the promise tomorrow holds."
Columbia Board of Education Candidates
There are four candidates running for two spots open on the Columbia Board of Education.
Adam Burks
Burks is one of three newcomers to the race and has been critical of the administrators at CPS. He also supports the $80 million bond issue and believes teachers should have a starting salary of at least $40k per year.
Andrea Lisenby
Lisenby is also a new face joining the race for a spot on the board of education. She is a mother of three and wants to make the board more accessible to the public.
Lisenby says she will be voting 'yes' to support the $80 million bond issue.
Suzette Waters
Waters is an alumna of Columbia Public Schools and her children are or have been students in the district. The platform outlined on her campaign website includes support for teachers, encouraging student achievement and open communication with the community.
Waters also supports the $80 million bond issue.
Blake Willoughby
Willoughby is the only current candidate running who is currently on the Columbia Board of Education and he is seeking re-election for his second term.
Willoughby and Waters are both backed by Columbia Missouri National Education Association.
Columbia Proposition 1 - Local Use Tax
A proposed local use tax for the City of Columbia will be on Tuesday's ballot.
The tax would be added to out-of-state online purchases which would equate to the same local tax rates charged in the city.
If the new tax is approved, the city estimates it would bring it $5.6 million each year.
Boone County Bond Issues
Twelve school districts have put tax levy increases or bond issues on the ballot, and 17 cities, fire districts and ambulance districts also have put these issues on the ballot.
Columbia Public Schools has put the largest bond issue on the ballot and is asking for $80 million to build a new elementary school and make upgrades to other CPS buildings. If passed, the bond would not increase the district's debt service tax levy.
Southern Boone is also looking to pass a $3 million bond issue.
Centralia is looking for $10 million for construction and upgrades to the district.
Harrisburg is asking for a $3 million bond.
The Hallsville School District is looking to pass a $6 million bond issue to pay for improvements including new middle school classrooms and an athletic track.
